Autoblog

Hyundai to petition NHTSA over 2011-2012 Sonata Hybrid seatbelt recall

Chris Shunk — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:01:00 EST

Filed under: Hybrid, Sedan, Government/Legal, Safety, Hyundai

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a safety recall of the Hyundai Sonata Hybrid, but this campaign comes with a twist. NHTSA announced on its website that Sonata Hybrid models produced between December 2, 2010 and March 7, 2012 are being recalled due to a seatbelt issue. NHTSA announced that the rear center belt, which incorporates a release mechanism that detaches both the lap and shoulder portion at the lower anchor point, doesn't meet safety standards.

Of the 14,728 units potentially covered under the recall, Hyundai will repair the 1,633 Sonata Hybrid models currently sitting on dealer lots. But here is where the catch comes into play: The government agency says Hyundai plans to file a petition for a recall exemption for those vehicles already delivered to their owners because it believes the action is "inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety." Hyundai will not have to send out recall notices to the 13,095 Sonata Hybrid models already on the road until after the petition has been resolved. Hit the jump to read over the NHTSA press release.

Continue reading Hyundai to petition NHTSA over 2011-2012 Sonata Hybrid seatbelt recall

Hyundai to petition NHTSA over 2011-2012 Sonata Hybrid seatbelt recall originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mercedes-Benz improves on the seat belt, again

Jonathon Ramsey — Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:02:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology, Mercedes-Benz, Luxury

Mercedes-Benz seat belts already have a feature that adjusts the tension of the belt after it's buckled, using motors in the B- and C-pillars. The boffins in Stuttgart have improved on that by turning to their attentions to the buckle, giving it two new functions. When you enter the vehicle, the buckle extends by 70 mmm (2.75 inches) and it illuminates to help you locate it and insert the tongue. Once the seat belt has been fastened, it retracts again to provide the proper tension around the thorax and lower pelvis.

Mercedes says the innovation will appear in its cars soon, and if we placing bets, we'd say the 2013 S-Class is a perfect candidate. There are more photos in the gallery and a press release with more info on the tech after the jump.

Continue reading Mercedes-Benz improves on the seat belt, again

Mercedes-Benz improves on the seat belt, again originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Feb 2012 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Kansas man goes to court over homemade seatbelt

Zach Bowman — Fri, 14 Jan 2011 09:27:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Humor

From the 'We Almost Missed It'' file comes word Kansas man has set about testing his state's new seatbelt law. Kansas has just joined the handful of other states that have moved not wearing a seatbelt while driving up to a primary offense, meaning that law enforcement officers can pull over and cite offenders simply for failing to buckle up. According to KWCH CBS 12, Paul Weigand says that he wants to challenge the law because he believes wearing his seatbelt should be up to him. Since the law says that an individual simply has to wear a seatbelt, Weigand has apparently taken to donning a seatbelt that he made himself around his waist at all times. The law apparently makes no mention of the seatbelt needing to be factory equipment nor that the belt needs to actually be fastened to the vehicle.

Not surprisingly, Weigand was cited under the new law and decided to fight the citation. A district judge decided earlier this month that the seatbelt crusader can take his case to court. According to the report, Weigand knows that he's poking fun at the law, but believes that seatbelt use should be up to individuals. He claims to have a phobia of being trapped in a crashed vehicle. Click on the KWCH link below to watch a video and see the homemade safety belt for yourself.

[Source: KWCH CBS 12 via USA Today]

Kansas man goes to court over homemade seatbelt originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Jan 2011 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Seatbelt use up to 85% nationally, 1 in 7 adults still don't buckle up [w/poll]

Zach Bowman — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 19:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety

According to the Center for Disease Control, seatbelt use among American adults is at an all-time high. In a recent study, 85 percent of those surveyed said that they wear their seatbelts regularly. That number is up from just 11 percent in 1982, though the CDC points out that at least one in every seven adults still don't wear their seatbelts on the road. That's despite evidence that points to automotive accidents as the number one cause of death in the U.S. among people aged 5 to 34.

So which states take the cake for seatbelt use? The CDC says that Oregon has the highest rate of buckling up, with 94 percent of respondents from that state claiming to use their belts on a regular basis. North Dakota came in dead last, with a paltry 54 percent of those surveyed strapping in. Not surprisingly, the study found that states that have laws allowing police officers to pull over a driver solely for not wearing their seatbelt have significantly higher rates of buckling up. Click on the jump for a look at the full synopsis, but before you head over there, make sure to take our poll on seatbelt use below.

View Poll

[Sources: CNN Health, CDC | Image: Volvo]

Continue reading Seatbelt use up to 85% nationally, 1 in 7 adults still don't buckle up [w/poll]

Seatbelt use up to 85% nationally, 1 in 7 adults still don't buckle up [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Jan 2011 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2011 Ford Explorer partially revealed during seatbelt airbag demo?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: SUV, Safety, Videos, Crossover, Ford

2011 Ford Explorer, is that you? - Click above to watch the video after the break

Sometimes, we have to wonder if automakers just like toying with the emotions of those of us who follow their comings and goings on a daily basis. How else can we explain how Ford would show up to the Shoreline Community College Automotive Center in Seattle with what appears to be the back half of a 2011 Ford Explorer in tow?

It's not really possible to know exactly what it is that we're gazing at in the video pasted after the break, but it sure does appear to match what we're expecting to see from the first unit-construction Explorer from the Blue Oval Boys. Nowhere else is that more evident than with the sloping C-pillar, which looks like a dead ringer for the one we saw blowing in the wind on a car hauler back in March.

No matter what it is that we're seeing in this video, the rear seatbelt airbag technology on display is definitely coming to a dealership near you, first on the - you guessed it - 2011 Ford Explorer. Enough talking already... check out the video for yourself after the break.

[Source: Driven Car Reviews]

Continue reading Video: 2011 Ford Explorer partially revealed during seatbelt airbag demo?

Video: 2011 Ford Explorer partially revealed during seatbelt airbag demo? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda seatbelt lawsuit headed to U.S. Supreme Court

Zach Bowman — Tue, 25 May 2010 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

The U.S. Supreme Court is set to rule on whether or not current federal regulations protect automakers from being sued under state product liability laws. According to The Wall Street Journal, justices will examine a California lawsuit that claims that Mazda should be held responsible for the death of a passenger in a 1993 MPV minivan. The passenger was riding in the middle seat, wearing a lap belt, when an accident occurred. The belt caused serious internal injuries that eventually led to death. The plaintiff's argument is that by not installing three-point seatbelts in the center row of the vehicle, Mazda failed to do everything in its power to protect the occupants of the vehicle.

It's important to note that three-point seatbelts didn't become a legal requirement in all seating positions until 2007. Before that time, regulations established in 1989 said that three-point belts were only required in outboard seats, so Mazda built the MPV to conform to the laws in place when the vehicle was built and sold.

The lawsuit was originally rejected after Mazda pointed to a 2000 Supreme Court case in which Honda was unsuccessfully sued after injuries occurred in a 1987 Honda Accord. In that case, the plaintiff said that Honda was responsible because it did not install airbags in the vehicle.

The Supreme Court will hear the case in the 2010-2011 term starting in October.

[Sources: The Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg | Image: Chip Somodevilla/Getty]

Mazda seatbelt lawsuit headed to U.S. Supreme Court originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 May 2010 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pennsylvania to conduct seatbelt checks... from aircraft?

Sam Abuelsamid — Sat, 22 May 2010 15:33:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

Rule number one of the Internet should be to always read past the headline before hitting the keyboard to comment. A prime example comes from the latest press release from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The statement's headline implies that PA state troopers will be enforcing seatbelt use from aircraft flying overhead. Frankly, given the budget constraints of most states, we suspect that aerial traffic enforcement is enormously wasteful at best. But the idea of even detecting seatbelt use from the sky seems absurd on its face.

As it turns out, Pennsylvania's belt law only only allows for secondary enforcement anyway. That means if you drive unbelted past a trooper while still observing all other traffic edicts, you can't get pulled over. Hence, the Air, Land and Speed campaign that the Pennsylvania state police is undertaking this summer will be primarily focused on catching speeders and then giving them secondary tickets if they insist on being truly foolish by driving unrestrained.

[Source: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | Image: Wikimedia Commons]

Continue reading Pennsylvania to conduct seatbelt checks... from aircraft?

Pennsylvania to conduct seatbelt checks... from aircraft? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 May 2010 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Georgia finally mandates seatbelt usage among pickup truck drivers

Dan Roth — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:31:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

Now it's just New Hampshire. For decades, any effort in Georgia to require universal seatbelt use couldn't get passed - such matters would just get stuck in the throat of the House by extra-regulation-resistant rural lawmakers. The consistent rejection kept pickup truck driving adults from being legally required to buckle up, an exemption that drove safety advocates up the wall.

According to The Washington Post, however, statistics about needless deaths, avoidable accidents and potential medical cost savings seem to have finally connected with enough House members to send the bill through, with the measure passing by a tally of 132-29.

For what it's worth, not wearing a belt when you're using your pickup truck on a construction site or farming doesn't seem like a contentious issue. Speeds are low and drivers may be in and out of the truck rather regularly, but those situations are not on public roads at normal speeds. Despite what some view as as unneeded regulation, it seems that members of the Georgia House now consider a law requiring adults to buckle up when in pickup trucks (the same as in cars) as a vote for common sense that will keep more money in state coffers.

Now it's just the Granite State as the lone state that doesn't mandate seatbelt use. Live free and/or die?

[Source: The Washington Post | Image: Getty]

Report: Georgia finally mandates seatbelt usage among pickup truck drivers originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: The most beautiful seatbelt advocacy commercial ever?

Chris Paukert — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:58:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Videos, UK

Embrace Life PSA - click above to watch the video

Over the years, we've seen plenty of public safety announcements that tackle the issue of buckling up behind the wheel. Most rely on fear to convey their message - be it fear of a police citation ("Click it or ticket") or the menace of graphic violence, dismemberment and death.

This slow-motion spot from the Sussex Safer Roads Partnership, however, takes a different tack without sacrificing its effectiveness or drama, all while adding an unexpected element of artistry and grace to go along with the obligatory heartstring-tugging. (And before you ask, yes, it most certainly reminds us of a certain incredible Radiohead music video). Check it out after the jump and see if you don't agree. Hat tip to Duy!

[Source: Sussex Safer Roads Partnership via YouTube]

Continue reading Video: The most beautiful seatbelt advocacy commercial ever?

Video: The most beautiful seatbelt advocacy commercial ever? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Feb 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hyundai recalls 65,000+ 2006-2009 Azera sedans over seatbelt issue

Michael Harley — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:28:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Hyundai

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a recall campaign directed at certain model year 2006 through 2009 Hyundai Azera sedans. All affected Azera models were manufactured between September 27, 2005, and October 1, 2008 - in total, 65,226 vehicles are subject to the recall action. The Azera was previously dinged by NHTSA last April as part of a multi-line recall over faulty taillamps.

According to NHTSA, the wiring harness for the front right seat belt tension sensor may become damaged after repeated use over time. If the sensor wiring is broken, the airbag will not deploy in the event of a serious crash or collision - understandably putting the seat occupant at risk of injury. Hyundai will notify owners, inspect vehicles, and make repairs free of charge under the terms of the recall that is scheduled to officially begin next month. In the meantime, owners may contact Hyundai Customer Service at 1-800-633-5151, contact the NHTSA's Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236, or visit www.safercar.gov. Press release after the jump.

[Source: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]

Continue reading Hyundai recalls 65,000+ 2006-2009 Azera sedans over seatbelt issue

Hyundai recalls 65,000+ 2006-2009 Azera sedans over seatbelt issue originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Jan 2010 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Party Time: Volvo celebrates 50 years of the three-point belt

Chris Tutor — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:59:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Videos, Volvo

Volvo's three-point seat belt - Click above to watch the video after the break

Back in 1958, most Americans wouldn't have been caught dead wearing a seat belt. That was mostly because safety belts were optional equipment in every car sold in the U.S. and drivers were suspicious of the things.

Just one year later, though, Nils Bohlin of Sweden invented and patented a three-point safety belt system that Volvo immediately made standard on its Amazon model. Variations on that system are still being used today in virtually every modern car.

Volvo, as you might expect, is pretty proud of itself, bragging that Mr. Bohlin is personally responsible for saving a million lives and that the three-point safety belt is Volvo's most important innovation and "almost certainly the most important invention in the whole history of traffic safety." Hmm. Maybe, but what about the, um, stop sign? Or double yellow line? Just saying. Then again, Volvo says the German patent office called the three-point belt one of the eight patents that had the greatest importance to mankind between 1885 and 1985. Surely that's now been trumped by 24-7 cable news networks.

Regardless, if you want to celebrate 50 years of safer driving with Volvo, chill the beer, fire up the grill and watch the video after the break. There's some great historical footage including one of a crash test with a live person as well as, more importantly, gratuitous footage of a girl in short shorts. Hit the jump to watch the video and read the full press release from Volvo.

[Source: Volvo]

Continue reading Party Time: Volvo celebrates 50 years of the three-point belt

Party Time: Volvo celebrates 50 years of the three-point belt originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Florida signs new primary seat belt law, gets $35 million from gov't

Michael Harley — Fri, 08 May 2009 13:59:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

Drivers and front-seat passengers in Florida may be cited for not wearing seat belts when a new law takes effect on June 30. Known as a "primary" seat belt law, the law allows enforcement officers to pull vehicles over solely for a belt violation (a "secondary" seat belt law requires another infraction to take place before a ticket may be issued). Florida is only the 28th state to enact a primary seat belt law, while the remainder have secondary laws and New Hampshire has no seatbelt law whatsoever.

Signed into law by Gov. Charlie Crist earlier this week, the legislation makes Florida eligible for up to $35 million in federal grant money created in 2005 as an incentive for states to establish seat belt laws. While Florida's fine for the nonmoving seat belt violation will be a mere $30, studies show that drivers are 13% more likely to fasten their belts if they can be pulled over for it. While the millions in federal money and ticket revenue are both incentives to the state, that's not the primary motivation behind it. "This bill will save lives," the governor said. "That's what is important."

[Source: Palm Beach Post]

Florida signs new primary seat belt law, gets $35 million from gov't originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 May 2009 13:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toyota's JDM collision-detecting radar system could come to Lexus

Michael Harley — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 08:31:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Technology, Lexus, Toyota

Two new JDM Toyota safety technologies are likely to arrive on future Lexus models in the United States. The first is a system that uses a millimeter-wave radar to detect objects in the vehicle's path. When obstructions are noted, the driver is alerted by an indicator or a sound. If the pending collision is imminent, a pre-crash system activates the brakes, removes slack from the seats belts and then deploys the airbags.

The second system involves the seats themselves. If an imminent rear-end collision is detected, the seat backs will automatically return to an upright position. In addition, seat belts will tighten and the headrests will move forward to help prevent whiplash. Both innovations are planned to arrive soon on Japan-market vehicles from Toyota Motor Corporation, so it's expected that these technologies will likely debut on upcoming Lexus models in the States.

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd]

Toyota's JDM collision-detecting radar system could come to Lexus originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Mar 2009 08:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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End of unsafe era: (Some) School buses to get seat belts

Chris Shunk — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:29:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

My wife and I thoroughly trained our oldest daughter on seat belt safety, and it got to the point where she would scream at the top of her lungs if one of us didn't buckle our belts. When she first stepped foot on a school bus, she was terrified to learn that there were no seat belts and didn't understand how school buses were the exception to the seat belt rule. After many years of extensive study, however, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is changing that, at least for buses weighing under 10,000 lbs. The NHTSA's findings are the same as a 2002 study that smaller buses should receive belts and seat backs should be raised to 24 inches, but nothing was done about the findings back then. A series of bus crashes since has helped build the case to finally require the seat belts on certain buses and taller seat backs for them all.

Part of the reason for inaction was that adding seat belts would decrease seating capacity by 17% while also adding $40-$50 per seat to bus costs. With 25 million children riding 500,000 buses, that adds up to $100 million in annual costs that would, according to reports, save roughly one life per year. Statistics show that about 5 children die each year in school bus accidents, which represents .1 deaths per 100 million miles traveled. Kids that travel by bike to school die at a far greater rate of 12.2 per 100 million miles traveled, and kids who walk to school die at a rate of 8.7 per 100 million. The NHTSA's ruling goes into effect November 2011, which is five months before my oldest daughter rides the bus for the last time and gets into her own car.

[Source: Detroit News, photo by gareth_lofthouse | CC 2.0]

End of unsafe era: (Some) School buses to get seat belts originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Oct 2008 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Buckle Up: Seat belt saves choking driver

Alex Nunez — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 18:55:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Safety, First Drives

Steven John Earp of Eugene, Oregon could never have imagined that the breakfast sandwich he was eating behind the wheel as he drove to work last week was almost his last meal, period. How so? Well, during the course of his meal on wheels, Mr. Earp began choking on his sandwich, and the situation was so dire that he blacked out behind the wheel. While unconscious, he plowed into another parked car, and for his sake, that's probably the best thing that could have happened.

Upon impact, Mr Earp's seat belt performed what amounted to be an unassisted heimlich maneuver on him, clearing the blockage that had caused him to lose consciousness and control of his car. No one else was hurt, and the only harm done was to the two vehicles involved in the crash. Mr. Earp, who collapsed after exiting the car when he regained consciousness, was taken to the hospital for observation and later released.

The lessons learned here are very simple:

Buckle up, because your seat belt can save you in more ways than one.
Put the damned sandwich down and wait till you get to the office to stuff your face. Capisce?

[Source: The Register-Guard]

Buckle Up: Seat belt saves choking driver originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 21 Aug 2007 18:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Porsche 911 GT3 and GT3 RS recalled

Damon Lavrinc — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 08:27:00 EST

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Porsche

According to What Car?, Porsche isn't immune to the recall woes that normally plague much larger automakers. The article states that 43 911 GT3s and their harder-core RS siblings are suffering from faulty seatbelts. The optional six-point belt's unlocking mechanism apparently won't come loose, causing concerns that if a crash were to take place, the occupants wouldn't be able to escape the vehicle without the belts being cut.

Porsche will be contacting the owners of said 911s to arrange a date for inspection. Unfortunately, the website What Car? referred to for further information, the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA), didn't have any details about what specific models were affected and in what part of the world the vehicles were sold. As soon as we get more information, we'll update this post.

[Source: What Car?]

Porsche 911 GT3 and GT3 RS recalled originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Apr 2007 08:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Billboard warns of not buckling up in the back seat

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 12:28:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety

Here is quite a hard-hitting image to remind people to buckle up, even in the back seat. We should all know the benefits of seat belt usage by now, but some people still seem to think they might be immune in an accident, should they choose the rear seat rather than the front, for some reason. This powerful visual reminder might help to convince them they're wrong.

Taking 3D billboards to a new extreme, the slingshot seems to dwarf the billboard itself, effectively conveying the force that will propel you forward in a collision. The one thing the ad doesn't replicate, however, is the variety of surfaces you'll impact after launch. Seatbacks might not seem particularly harmful, but anything you strike will be painful as you fly into, over or around them at those velocities. We're not quite sure where this billboard is located or who was responsible for it, but we like it a lot. Buckle up. Even in the back seat.

[Source: Carscoop]

Billboard warns of not buckling up in the back seat originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Mar 2007 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New seat belts resemble racing harnesses

Stuart Waterman — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 16:56:00 EST

Filed under: Safety, Ford

Regardless of the cocoon of air bags surrounding the occupants of today's vehicles, Dr. Priya Prasad, Ford Motor's Technical Fellow for Safety maintains that "the single most important piece of safety technology in a car or truck today remains the safety belt," and Ford engineers are actively researching new restraint technologies, like the four-point belt system shown above.

Ford research showed that consumers who tested the four-point belts perceived them to be safer, more comfortable and (depending on design) easier to use than conventional three point belts. Ford maintains that thousands of testers of "all demographics and sizes" gave the racecar-like harness the thumbs up, and we're sure that the photo intentionally shows a female driver, but we're skeptical that women will really find the new system "more comfortable."

Still, we're all for efforts to adopt simple, comparatively inexpensive, and effective technologies to enhance safety, and there's no question that four-point belts are safer than today's three-point system. Just ask any racecar driver.

[Source: Ford]

New seat belts resemble racing harnesses originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 31 Aug 2006 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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